The New York State Education Department requires that all candidates for a provisional elementary (PreK-6) or for a secondary (7-12) teaching certificate achieve satisfactory scores on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) and the Assessment of Teaching Skills - Written (ATS-W) of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations.

For permanent elementary or secondary certification, the state requires completion of a master's degree, appropriate professional experience, and satisfactory scores on the Content Specialty Test (CST) and the Assessment of Teaching Skills - Performance (ATS-P) of the New York State Teaching Certification Examinations.

Candidates for certification as teachers of health (K-12) or teachers of physical education (K-12) must obtain satisfactory scores on either the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations or the National Teacher Examinations Core Battery Tests.

Three forms of teaching certificates are issued by the New York State Education Department. The initial form of certificate is the Certificate of Qualification, which indicates that the holder has satisfied the requirements for provisional certification, provides to school districts evidence of eligibility for employment, and legalizes service as a substitute teacher. The Certificate of Qualification is valid for five years if the holder does not accept a New York state public school contract within that time. At the time of public school employment, or prior to its expiration date, the Certificate of Qualification must be returned to the New York State Education Department for a five-year Provisional Certificate. A Permanent Certificate requires completion of a functionally related master's degree, appropriate professional experience and qualifying scores on the NYSTCE.

Information about the degree programs may be obtained from the Admissions Office or from departmental chair persons.